


Rebirth

by PizzaFish



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Growing Up, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25484761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PizzaFish/pseuds/PizzaFish
Summary: Looking out towards the boundless waters offered him a temporary respite from the shackles of life on the islands. It served as a reminder that there was more to see, more to experience. A quiet, fleeting promise of freedom lost to those who were not attuned to its song. And yet, the sea also served as his prison, trapping him on these small patches of dirt he had called his home for the past twenty-three years.Or: Riku is trapped on the Destiny Islands alone before finally escaping and meeting the rest of the trio on a journey of self discovery.
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue - Escape

Rebirth

Prologue – Escape

The warm spring wind gently tousled the Riku’s long silver hair as he sat pensively at the end of the pier, lost in the seemingly endless swirling torrent of his mind. Looking out towards the boundless waters offered him a temporary respite from the shackles of life on the islands. It served as a reminder that there was more to see, more to experience. A quiet, fleeting promise of freedom lost to those who were not attuned to its song. And yet, the sea also served as his prison, trapping him on these small patches of dirt he had called his home for the past twenty-three years.

Although—perhaps home was too strong of a word. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt like he truly had a home. He simply existed here, constantly drifting from island to island desperately searching for a way out.

Sure, there were times he was content, living happily with old friends, but he knew it was only temporary. Tidus would soon be moving to the main island with Selphie, and Wakka’s career as blitzball player was finally starting to take off. He was thrilled for them, but where did that leave him? Time was running out before they had to say goodbye to the house they shared together for the last two years. He could sense the finality of it. The three of them had grown up together, and no matter how far Riku drifted they always found him. But that unwavering connection had finally begun corroding as time continued its endless march. Now it was time for them to begin their own lives. It was truly the end of an era. The last thread that bound him to the islands was finally severed.

When the familiar pangs of melancholy and frustration began to overtake him, Riku did what he always did, he ran. He ran to the pier to listen to the whispers of the wind and sea, hoping their song could calm the tempest in his mind. Unfortunately, it wasn’t working. Waves of unrelenting hopelessness washed over him, threatening crush him under their cold, oppressive weight. His breathing became erratic and his chest tightened as it became clear to him that he truly had nowhere to go. If he couldn’t figure something out and soon, he would have to go back—to go back, he shuddered— _there._ After everything it took to get out there was no way he was going back now. He was _not_ giving up. Not yet.  
He finally began to return to himself, grounded by his own stubbornness and spite. It was almost laughable, really. He chuckled. “I’m sure that’s healthy,” he mused. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, calming his frazzled nerves long enough to try and think clearly. When no answers came, he opted to empty his mind and be rocked into a cathartic numbness by the steady rolling of the waves. The gentle song of the water lulled him into a dreamless sleep.

He was awoken by the last rays of the setting sun, stubbornly fighting its nightly cessation to the moon. Its brilliant hues of red set the sky aflame as it dipped into the sea, bathing the water in its warm glow. “I suppose there are worst sights to wake up to,” he thought as he marveled at the painted sky. He was shaken from his stupor by the refracting light from something being carried in by the waves, watching in awe as—whatever it was—was seemingly being carried directly towards him. Riku stared slack jawed as it continued its seemingly supernatural voyage towards him. Eyes wide with recognition, he gasped and leapt off the pier, swimming towards the object once he was finally able to identify it: a glass bottle containing a message.

Bottle secured, Riku sprinted toward the shore, mind racing. Hands shaking, he removed the cork and frantically hit the base of the bottle until it finally released its contents. He unrolled the paper, revealing a handwritten message:

_Thinking of you, wherever you are._  
_We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend._  
_Now I will step forward to realize this wish.  
_ _And who knows, starting a journey may not be so hard—or maybe it has already begun._  
_There are many worlds, but they share the same sky.  
_ _One sky, one destiny.  
_ _-Kairi_

“This is it,” he said quietly, voice trembling as he choked back a sob. “This is what I’ve been looking for. A way out of here—for good.”

With a start he realized he wouldn’t be going anywhere without finding whoever wrote him this letter first. Heart pounding, he sprinted back to the pier and frantically scanned the horizon looking for any sign of the author. 

He _had_ to find her.

But as usual, there was no sign of life out at sea. Whipped into a frenzy by feelings teetering on the edge of hope and hopelessness, Riku yelled, “Kairi! I’m ready! Help me! Kari! I’m here!” He yelled as loud and as long as his voice would allow, each time met with only the rolling of the waves taunting him. His voice and daylight nearly spent, he turned and slinked off the pier, defeated.

_“Please don’t leave me here,”_ he whispered. 

The last of the daylight disappeared beneath the waves as he slowly made his way towards his boat. “What the hell was I thinking,” he grumbled. “Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” a mysterious voice chuckled.

Startled, Riku whipped towards the voice. “Who’s there!” he demanded.

“You’ve been calling me for how long? And that’s how you greet me?” she quipped.

“K-Kairi!?!” he stammered.

Kairi threw her hands on her hips, beaming, “In the flesh!”

She looked like she was around Riku’s age, maybe a little younger. Her hair was as fiery as the sunset, offset by kind eyes as brilliant as the sea, and a mischievous little smirk. She wore a hooded pink dress with black accents, combat boots, and a necklace with a single pearl. This should be interesting.

She continued, “You know, I’ve been looking for you too, Riku. I’ve got a job offer for you if you want it. What do you say—wanna come with me?”

“I’m in,” Riku said without missing a beat.

“Well, don’t think about it or anything,” she laughed. “Are you sure? Who knows the next time you’ll be able to come home?”

“I already said I was in. You don’t need to keep selling it,” Riku quipped dryly.

“Oh! Sassy, aren’t we? I think you’ll fit in nicely,” she chirped. “Alright, then. Follow me!”

Riku followed, eyes fixed on the prospect of a brighter future. "Right behind you."


	2. The Contract

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku takes the plunge and is offered a contract as a Guardian of Light

The Contract

Riku would have sworn this was all a dream, except he knew his brain lacked the capacity to come up with anything this bizarre.

He followed Kairi to the far end of the island, eyes scouring the shore fruitlessly for a boat, a raft, a dinghy—anything that could carry him towards freedom. He stopped in his tracks, “Hang on a second. How exactly did you get here? Where’s your boat?”

Kairi twirled towards him with a mischievous grin, hands clasped behind her back. “Who needs a boat when you have a ship?” she quipped.

Riku folded his arms with an exasperated sigh. “Alright then. Let’s see it.”

“You’d better keep up then!” she shouted, sprinting towards the dunes. Befuddled, Riku gave chase. “Just what in the hell kind of ship is this?” he wondered. Kairi scrambled to the top of a dune with all the dignity and grace of a newborn gazelle, awkwardly crawling on all fours. “Come on!” she shouted, as she righted herself on the top of the hill. She began her descent, quickly disappearing from Riku’s line of sight. Riku clambered up the dune, glancing down to make sure she was still there and not simply the result of some sort of mental breakdown. The sight that greeted him wasn’t very reassuring.

“Is that—is that some kind of— _spaceship!_?!” he stammered, the shock causing him to lose his footing and skid down the dune on his rear. “Something like that,” Kairi laughed, extending a hand to help him up. “It’s called a Gummi Ship. We use them to travel to different worlds. This beauty is called the _Highwind_ ,” she boasted, patting the ship’s hull.

“Oh, sure, _that_ makes sense,” Riku replied dryly. “What the hell are you talking about!?! And who’s this _we_!?!” he demanded.

“I’m a Guardian of Light,” she answered matter-of-factly. “We’re a group that travels the worlds protecting the realm of light from darkness.”

“Guardian? Protecting? What is this, some kind of army or police thing?”

“Not quite. I’d say—we’re more like contractors,” she mused. “There’s a lot more freedom. We’re brought in to work for a set period of time or until we complete a set of missions. The rest of the time, we’re free to come and go as we please. And you can choose whether or not you want to come back once you’ve completed your contract. The work is hard, but honestly, it’s not a bad life. You know, I think you’d be really great fit. What do you say, Riku?”

Riku crossed his arms, shutting his eyes in contemplation. He took a deep, calming breath as he weighed his options—or rather, option. While it wasn’t the way he would have guessed, becoming a Guardian _did_ offer him the chance to finally leave the islands for good. It offered him escape. It offered _freedom_. Nothing about it made any sense to him, but then again, nothing in his life did. And really, what did he have to lose? Exhaling, Riku opened his eyes with a renewed sense of determination.

“I’m in.”

With the matter settled, next came the issue of gathering Riku’s effects. As half-assed as his escape plan was, Riku just couldn’t bring himself to leave for another world—as farfetched as that sounded—without _something_. Fortunately, he had spent the past five years drifting around the islands and had learned to live off of only what he could carry, so at least it wouldn’t take long to pack. Kairi offered to wait with the ship while he gathered his belongings. Riku dashed to his boat and rowed back towards the main island, hoping to make a clean escape.

He quickly arrived at the beachside shack he had shared with his two oldest friends. He paused to admire the dilapidated old wooden structure. Anyone else would see a blight on the shore that should have been torn down ages ago, but to him and his friends it served as a haven as they began to figure out the direction their lives would take them. Well, at least Tidus and Wakka had figured it out. For that, he was grateful. Now it was finally time for him to find his own way. Riku scooped up his clothes and threw them in his backpack along with a few odds and ends. He slung the pack over his shoulder and grabbed a small, beat-up rectangular leather case. “Well, I guess that’s it,” he thought as he surveyed the empty room. He made his way to the kitchen and wrote a quick note to his companions. He figured he at least owed them that much:

_Rolling out. Thanks for everything.  
Take care and good luck.  
-Riku_

He made his way outside and took one last look at the old shack, bidding it a final farewell. He set off, eager to see what the future had in store for him.

*****

Riku couldn’t decide if he should feel safe or terrified to have Kairi at the helm of his first voyage into space. He guessed she didn’t take things seriously too often. Luckily, she seemed to pick up on his anxiety about venturing into space for the first time, and did what she could to make him feel more at ease. “Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. I’ll get you where you need to go no problem!” she chirped.

“I’ll do what I can,” Riku offered. “Where are we going?”

“We’re heading to a place called Paradise Valley. It’s a special world where all Guardians get started.”

“Special world? Is there something different about it?”

“Yup! Paradise Valley is a world created by one of the Guardian’s leaders, Merlin. He’s an amazing wizard,” she gushed. It’s special because time flows differently there—or rather, it doesn’t flow at all. That’s what makes it so great for getting started! There’s a lot to learn, and it helps not having to worry about being rushed. Not to mention the world is absolutely beautiful! That’s how it got its name,” she added matter-of-factly.

“Hang on,” Riku demanded, hands waving. “Let me make sure I’ve got this right. Not only is magic a thing, but you’re telling me there’s a wizard powerful enough to create worlds and control time!?!”

“A few of them actually,” Kairi shrugged.

Riku was left dumbfounded and sporting a fly-catching gape. His eyes frantically searched the girl’s face for the slightest hint of laughter or teasing—and nothing. She was serious. “Huh,” he let out, deflated.

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” she offered. “The best advice I can give you is to just roll with it. You’re about to see some crazy, wonderful, unbelievable things. But next thing you know, it’ll be old news. It’s amazing what can pass for normal given enough time. Just take it all in and enjoy it. And on that note, let’s get a move on! It’s a bit of a flight from here, so we’ll have plenty of time to chat on the way.”

The gummi ship lifted off and effortlessly began its ascent. The low hum of the engines and the view of the islands rapidly shrinking were the only indicators that the _Highwind_ was even moving. Riku wondered if the ship itself was imbued with some kind of magic that made the ride so supernaturally smooth. Kairi expertly navigated the ship out of the stratosphere and into open space. The view was remarkable. The gummi ship, which had seemed so formidable on the islands, was dwarfed by the boundless and ever-expanding cosmos. At first glance, the inky blackness appeared to be an empty void, ravenously devouring all points of light and life. But once his eyes began to adjust, Riku could see it was the exact opposite. It was overflowing with color and life. Meteors tumbled and danced, floating as if carried by an unseen stream as comets soared around them, painting the void with light and fire. Clouds like watercolor splashed the cosmos with every hue the human eye could fathom. All of which was punctuated by the shimmering light of innumerable stars, reciting the stories of the celestials in a language long since forgotten.

All at once Riku’s place in the universe became abundantly clear: he was insignificant, a speck. He was nothing. He was absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Rather than filling him with existential dread, it offered a strange sense of comfort. If he was nothing, his problems were less so. The demons he fought so desperately to escape from could never find him here. It was too beautiful. A work of art that could not be marred by the likes of a microscopic blight like him. A cosmic masterpiece.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Kairi asked, seemingly reading his mind. Riku simply nodded in response, having been rendered speechless. They sat in a comfortable silence, each lost in their own world. At long last Riku’s adrenaline began to wane. His mind and body quieted, thoroughly spent by the day’s events. He was soon lulled to sleep by the gentle hum of the ship’s engines.

*****

Riku was jolted back to consciousness as the _Highwind_ abruptly veered off course. “Crap! We’re gonna hit!” Kairi cried. “Riku! Hold on to something!”

Heart pounding, Riku shot up in his seat frantically searching for anything he could grab a hold of. He latched himself to the armrest and tried to shrink as much as possible. He shut his eyes and braced for impact. “It can’t end like this,” he thought bitterly.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kairi—snorting? He opened an eye and chanced a peek in her direction only to find her beet red, wriggling in her seat as she tried—and failed—to suppress a laugh. Riku shot up, brows furrowed and scanned the horizon for any sign of trouble as Kairi howled with laughter next to him. Satisfied that he was, in fact, not about to die, Riku placed a hand on his chest and let out a shaky sigh of relief.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Kaira chortled. “Sleep well?”

Cheeks flushed, Riku flashed a menacing scowl. He growled, “Listen here, you little shit”—he paused, expression melting into a crooked smirk, “that was a good one.”

“Now that was a scary face!” Kairi wheezed between laughs. “I thought you were about to smack me or something!”

“I fought the urge,” he chuckled. Riku never could resist a challenge or a good prank. Kairi was alright.

“We’ll be coming up on Paradise Valley before long. I figured you’d want to be awake when we land.”

“Yeah, thanks.” He paused, “I’ve been meaning to ask—you mentioned something about protecting the realm of light from darkness earlier. What exactly did you mean by that?”

“Darkness can take many different forms. It often preys upon the anger and hatred in a person’s heart—sometimes, even sadness. It continues to fester and grow, polluting the heart until it finally consumes them. A person can’t exist without a heart, so they end up becoming a shadow of the darkness—a monster. The greater the darkness, the more formidable the beast it creates. We call these beings the Heartless. Once a person becomes a Heartless, they ravenously prey after the light. They wreak havoc throughout the worlds, trying to devour the hearts of those uncorrupted by the darkness. We believe there are people exploiting the darkness in peoples’ hearts to create and control the Heartless. Our job is to find them and stop them.”

Riku analyzed her every word, assembling and disassembling them trying to make sense of what he’d just learned.

“How is that even possible? They could literally be hiding anywhere. How is it you guys plan on tracking them down?”

“Well, that’s where the Guardians come in!” Kairi cheered, hand thrust up in excitement. We’re actually a pretty big group! What, did you think we covered the entire universe with just a handful of people?” she teased. “For example, we’re heading to Paradise Valley. Like I said earlier it’s a special world where everyone starts out. But it’s actually only one of three outposts in the Vulpes sector. There’s a total of five sectors: Vulpes, Unicornis, Anguis, Leopardos, and Ursas. You see, each sector has varying numbers of outposts based on how active the heartless are. The more heartless there are, the more outposts there are. And each outpost houses several teams which oversee the protection of multiple worlds, each with its own hierarchy and structure. We divvy up the work easy peasy!

“Okay. I think I’m getting it,” Riku replied stroking his chin. “Honestly, this all sounds a little terrifying,” he admitted. Are you sure I’m actually cut out for this? What made you come find me?”

“I think you’ll do great! Kairi assured. But if fighting the Heartless isn’t for you, there’s plenty of other ways to help. You could scout out new worlds, gather information about the Heartless, look for Guardian candidates, or even help run an outpost. When you go to Paradise Valley for the first time, you’ll have to take a bunch of exams and go through some training basically to see what sticks. Once you’re done, they’ll offer you a contract for a job and location they think you’re best suited for. Honestly, they always seem to get it right, even if it doesn’t feel like it at first. A big guy like you, I think you’d be an awesome fighter!” she exclaimed, playfully jabbing his arm.

“I’m not so sure about that, but thanks,” Riku muttered sheepishly.

“As for how we found you—well, your heart called out to us. That’s how we find most of our people, actually. And it can be for all kinds of reasons. Some hearts yearn for adventure, others to protect, and some”—she paused, a haunted expression briefly overtaking her—“have nowhere left to go.”

It lasted only a moment, but Riku knew that look all too well. Kairi was running from something. As curious as he was, he thought it best not to pry.

“Our scouts had detected a strong heart somewhere near your islands some time ago, but we could never quite pinpoint where it was. When you were able to see my message, I knew you were finally ready.”

“What about you? How long have you been a Guardian of Light?”

“This will be my second year. I was just on my way back to start my third contract when I found you!”

“I’m glad you did. I take it you like being a Guardian, then?”

“Sure! I mean, the work is hard and all, but the people make it totally worth it. Just wait and see.”

*****

Just as Riku felt he was about to burst with anticipation, they finally arrived. And Kairi was right. It was absolutely stunning.

They broke through the clouds revealing an ocean of trees, rolling and undulating like waves as they strode atop the hills and valleys. The expansive sea of green was breached by the serpentine winding of a lazy river, whose waters were as blue as the sky and as clear as glass. The _Highwind_ followed the path carved by the river until it was flanked by a string of snow kissed mountains. The range gradually rising around them as the trees began to recede, revealing lush meadows adorned with vibrant violet and gold wildflowers. The Guardian Village was nestled near the base of a mountain with a crook shaped peak at the end of the valley. The village was bisected by the river that had guided them through the valley, its banks connected by a large stone bridge. The east bank was lined with various shops, restaurants, taverns, and a handful of private residences. To the west were rows of offices, workshops, and a large gummi garage. The mechanics had a sizeable collection of gummi ships, and appeared to be working on vehicles for water and overland travel. The _Highwind_ touched down on the west bank in front of a white brick building covered in industrial windows. Affixed front and center was a large metal cutout of a simple key adorned with a crown.

“Welcome to Paradise Valley,” Kairi grumbled mid-stretch, “let’s get you checked in!”

After disembarking, Riku was hit by the intoxicatingly sweet scent of pine and grass. The kind of smell that cleanses and revitalizes the spirit—clean and unsullied nature. He breathed deeply, taking in the beautiful landscape and savoring the sweet aroma. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he thought, “I could definitely get used to this.”

Kairi ushered him into the building towards a small reception desk manned by a plump older woman with gray hair tucked in a neat bun, offset by curled bangs. A nametag reading “Flora” was pinned to her a loose-fitting red dress.

“Hello, dears,” she cooed. “What can I do for you today?”

“Hi! We’re checking in,” Kairi replied. “I’m Kairi, I’m a returner. This is my friend Riku. It’s his first time here!”

“Oh, very good, she beamed. We’re glad to have you back.” She offered Riku a warm smile, “And welcome, sweetie. I’m sure you’ll do wonderful here. Go ahead and sign your name on the list here and we’ll get you where you need to go.”

She handed Kairi a packet and gestured towards a door marked “Returners.” “Just go straight through that door and get your paperwork filled out and can be on your way back to your village in no time. Best of luck on your missions!”

“Thanks, Flora!” she chirped. She turned to Riku and wrapped him in a quick hug. “It’s time to say goodbye for now. They’ll get you all trained up and ready to go from here, then you’ll be off to your new home. Take care of yourself, Riku and don’t be a stranger. You’d better come say hi if you’re ever in the neighborhood!” Riku chuckled and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Of course.” He pulled her in for another hug and whispered, “and thank you for everything.”

With one last smile and enthusiastic wave, Kairi went through the door, leaving Riku in Flora’s hands. She escorted him down the hall, following a trail of signs marked “trainees.”

“That Kairi is a sweet girl. Are you from the same world as her?”

“No. I actually just met her. She picked me up on her way here.”

“Wow, she must have thought you were really something special to go out of her way like that.”

“I’m not sure what would make her think that,” Riku replied sheepishly. “But I’ll do the best I can.”

“I know you’ll do great. And don’t worry, dear, I’m sure you’ll see your friend again,” Flora offered with a reassuring smile.

Riku nodded, smiling. “Yeah, I think so too.”

They arrived at a door at the end of the long hallway. “Check in at the desk through here and they’ll get you everything you need to get started. You’ll have the rest of the evening to yourself and tomorrow, you start your training bright and early. I’d suggest taking the time to walk around and start getting familiar with the area. Good luck, dearie!”

Riku thanked her and continued through the door. It was a large room with tables strewn about, each occupied by groups of people struggling through large packets of paper. There was a line through the center of the room leading up to a grumpy looking woman in a blue dress seated behind a desk. At least she was efficient.

“Next!” — “Next!” – “Next! Come on, I don’t have all day!” she barked.

As he got closer, he could make out her nametag—"Merriweather.” Funny, she didn’t seem very merry. Before long it was Riku’s turn. He walked up and she slapped down a sizeable stack of paper on the desk.

“Get these filled out.” She thumbed through each packet of paper. “This one tells us who you are. This one tells us who to call if you do something stupid and get yourself hurt. And this pack will help us figure out what to do with you. When you’re done, take your packets and follow the arrows painted on the floor to the next station and turn them in there. Get going. Next!”

Riku grabbed a seat and set to work. The first couple of packets seemed pretty straightforward; name, birthday, home world, emergency contacts, the kind of things you’d expect when starting a new job. The last and by far the biggest packet seemed like a cross between a personality test and a college entrance exam. It had questions ranging from solving mathematical equations to how comfortable he was meeting new people. After slogging through nearly fifty pages of questions, he was finally ready to move on to the next station. He followed the arrows through a twisting hallway before arriving at the next room. Directly through the door was another desk. The center of the room was lined with several rows of chairs. At the far end of the room were two stations set up with computers and cameras in front of a white screen. He was greeted by a smiling woman in a green dress whose nametag read “Fauna.”

“Hello, dearie, I’ll take those papers from you. We’ll look these over and assign you a job and outpost. Once we have it figured out, someone will call you over and we’ll get you an ID card. Go ahead and have a seat.”

Riku sat down next to a boy with an untamed nest of brown hair poking out from a black headband. He wore a black and white baseball tee with the picture of a blocky looking dog and baggy black pants. He was sitting with arms crossed, nervously shaking his leg.

“This waiting is driving me _crazy_ ,” he complained, clenching his fists in frustration. “I just wanna know what I’ll be _doing_ already!”

“Tell me about it,” Riku sighed.

“The name’s Pence.”

“Riku.”

“Nice to meet you. So, what brings you all the way out here, Riku? Did you follow any friends out here?”

“No, I actually hadn’t even heard of the Guardians till yesterday. I hitched a ride with a girl who was on her way here, but she left already.”

“Oh, wow! Welcome! That takes some guts to just take a chance like that,” Pence gushed. “I’ve actually got a couple of friends who came out here for a while. They talked me into coming out here with them this time around. They actually live here in Paradise Valley! That’s why I’m so ready to find out where they’ll put me. I need to know if we’ll all be working together.”

“I hope it works out for you,” Riku offered. “It’s great that you know some people out here, at least.”

“Yeah! If you want, I’ll introduce you. They can give us a tour! Whaddya say, Riku?” Pence asked, nudging Riku with his elbow.

“That sounds great.”

“Pence!” a voice boomed at the end of the room.

He shot out of his chair and began stumbling backwards, waving. “I’ll wait for you outside!”

Riku held up a hand, “I’ll see you there, good luck.”

The endless paperwork had totally numbed his mind and momentarily made him forget what he had come here for, but now Riku was buzzing with excitement. It was finally time to find out what exactly he’d be doing out here. He couldn’t wait to get out and start exploring the village. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to work here in Paradise Valley, or go off and see what the other sectors offered. If it was this beautiful here, he could only imagine what the other places looked like. What kind of people would he meet out there? Damn! He forgot to ask Kairi where she was posted. Where would he—His train of thought derailed with a single world.

“Riku!”

He stood and saw a man with long spiked out silver hair and scar over his left eye waving him over from one of the computer stations. He walked over and introduced himself.

“Hey, I’m Setzer. Go ahead and have a seat.”

He placed a packet on the desk and slid it forward.

“This is your contract. Long story short, we’re offering you a contract as a wielder. That means you’ll be out in the worlds getting down and dirty with the Heartless. If you can complete your contract, you’ll get paid out a bonus and have the opportunity to come back and make a little more munny with each new contract. Screw up and you’re out. You’re free to terminate your contract whenever you want, but know you risk not being able to come back. If you sign, we’ll give you three square meals a day, a place to live, and a steady paycheck. Choice is yours, kid.”

He held out a pen towards Riku. He took it and signed with no hesitation.

“That’s what I like to see,” he said with a crooked smile. “Sit in that stool over there and let’s make you official.”

Setzer snapped a photo and set to work creating his ID card. While the machine whirred, he handed Riku yet another packet of papers.

“This is a copy of the contract you just signed. This is the Guardian manual, make sure to look it over. Here’s your training schedule and a map of the area. And finally, this is a housing agreement. Once you finish up here take this to the housing office and they’ll get you a room.”

The machine spat out a brand-new ID card. Setzer picked it up and extended it to Riku in a handshake.

“Welcome aboard, Guardian of Light.”

*****

Riku and Pence checked in with the housing office and agreed to meet up for dinner after settling into their dorms. The dorms had definitely seen better days. There were five dorms total, each was an old two-story rectangular cabin-like structure with a covered porch. The only way to tell the buildings apart was from a wooden plaque hanging on the porch with dorm’s name. There was Rumbling Rose, Hidden Dragon, Jungle King, Lady Luck, and Spellbinder—the dorm Riku and Pence had been assigned. The first floor had a common area with tables, books, board games, puzzles, and other things to stave off boredom. They were equipped with two communal bathrooms on each floor which also housed a handful of washers and dryers. The room had just enough space for a twin bed, nightstand, and dresser. Fortunately, Riku had packed light. There was a large window at the end of the room which offered a perfect view of the mountain with the crook-shaped peak. Riku opened the window to freshen up the room and to listen to the sound of the river. He was unpacked and settled into his new room in no time at all. He placed his hand behind his head plopped down on the bed. He took his new ID card out of his pocket and examined it. The top right corner had the same crowned key image that was displayed on the headquarters. The bottom corner had the words “Guardian of Light.” The top left corner had his photo with his name and a six-digit number directly underneath it. Centered on the bottom of the card were three lines of text:

 _URHB_  
Wielder  
OCT 14, 20XX

“URHB,” he pondered. He’d have to ask Pence’s friends what that meant at dinner. He mindlessly thumbed through his packets until it was time to meet him in the lobby. He walked down the stairs and out onto the porch where Pence was waiting for him with his friends. To his right was a muscular boy with a cocky smirk and gelled up blonde hair wearing a white tank top with a cut-off plaid vest and oversized shorts. On his right was a girl with long, brown hair wearing a black tank top and red plaid capris.

“Over here!” Pence waved. “These are the friends I told you about earlier. This is Hayner and Olette. Guys, this is Riku. It’s his first time out here.”

“Hey, how’s it going. Let us know if you need help with anything,” Hayner Offered.

Olette gave Riku a wide smile. “Welcome to Paradise Valley!”

“I appreciate that. Nice to meet you.”

Pence groaned, “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starving.”

“What else is new?” Hayner teased. “Let’s get going then.”

Hayner led the group to a plain looking building off on the edge of the west bank of the river.

“Here we are! This is called a Guardian Dining Room, or GDR for short. As long as you have an ID, you can eat here for free! The cool thing is you can find these on any Guardian outpost, so you’re never too far from a hot meal,” Hayner explained.

“That _is_ handy,” Pence marveled.

Calling it a “dining room” seemed like a bit of stretch. It reminded Riku more of a school cafeteria that was trying too hard. They were ushered through an assembly line where employees in white button up shirts and white cloth toques shoveled moderately appetizing looking food on plastic trays. They worked their way past a drink station, soup wells, a salad bar, and a dessert bar before finally settling down at table. Hayner and Olette were catching up with Pence as Riku quietly finished his meal.

“Oh, Riku!” Pence shouted between mouthfuls. “I forgot to tell you! I was assigned here to Paradise Valley! I’ll be working as a researcher. Will you be sticking around after training too?”

“I’m not really sure,” Riku admitted. “I haven’t really had a chance to read through the packet yet.”

“It will say it on your ID. If you want, hand your card to me and I can help you figure it out,” Olette offered.

He handed his card over to Olette. Hayner and Pence crowded in to read it along with her.

“Let’s see,” she hummed. “You’ll be at URHB as a wielder, wow! That’s Hollow Bastion in the Ursas Sector.”

“I can’t believe you got assigned to Hollow Bastion as a wielder on your first contract,” Hayner muttered in amazement. “You must have had some really good answers on the exam! That’s almost unheard of.”

“What’s so special about it,” Riku asked, slightly embarrassed over the fuss they were making.

“Well,” Olette replied, “Ursas is the sector that has the most Heartless activity. Not only are there a lot of them, but they’re a lot stronger too. And Hollow Bastion is the busiest outpost in entire sector.”

“In other words,” Hayner added, “you’d best pay damn close attention to everything they teach you in training if you want to have a chance of making it out there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
